Chapter 107 The Lady of the Camellias
clang--
A long bell rang, bringing the audience who were sitting quietly on the stage back to reality. A polite and distant female voice came on the radio, announcing the end of the first half and a 20-minute intermission.
Nakai Maiko let out a long sigh, leaning back against her theater chair, content yet unsatisfied. The scenes that had just unfolded on stage were still replaying in her mind. Margaret, resplendent in her gorgeous purple satin gown and delicate bun; Margaret, adorned in a white dress and hat, laughing and joking with her friends, her smile as beautiful as a flower; Margaret, with her long hair loose and a languid white dress beneath, her every gesture filled with lingering love and reluctance. Each scene made it impossible not to savor her distinct beauty.
As the stage changed, she seemed to put herself into Armand's perspective and developed a love for Marguerite, who was particularly vivid and beautiful in every scene.
But a farewell letter attacked the newly established love, and Maiko's heartbeat rose and fell heavily along with the heartbroken and painful Armand on the stage.
"Oh my god, I didn't expect Suginohara to act so well."
The two girls in the back row engaged in a discussion. Nakai Maiko hadn't intended to listen, but their strategically placed positions allowed every word to sink into her ears. The discussion, apparently rarely heard in a ballet theater, quietly ignited her gossipy spirit.
"I was surprised too! She and He Jiujun have such a great CP feeling, I really like them!"
"Yes, yes! I just used a telescope to take a look. Bai Shuang's kiss made Jiu Jun's ears red!" When the girl said this, she seemed to realize that she was a little excited and her voice was a little loud. She quickly covered her mouth and her laughter was muffled in her hands.
"Did you say Hanyu is there?"
"I think... I think Hanyu will be angry. He seems like the possessive type."
The two chatted and covered their mouths, laughing fufufu. Perhaps attracting the attention of other audience members, they were quiet for a few seconds, then stood up and went outside the theater to get some fresh air during this short break.
Silence fell again, and Nakai Maiko's curiosity grew even more intense in the silence. She pondered for a few seconds, then picked up her binoculars and scanned the auditorium. In the area in front of the first floor, she could only see the backs of heads, making it difficult to distinguish. She scanned behind her but didn't see anything particularly conspicuous. The second and third floors were obscured by the ceiling.
Hanyu should be there. For some reason, Maiko was so convinced. But what kind of expression would he have? While this speculation didn't quite fit with her self-proclaimed status as a veteran ballet fan, she couldn't help but be curious.
She wasn't the only one who was curious.
[Lio: So, what was Hanyu-san's expression like? I really want to know! ! !]
Morimoto Kosuke looked at the new message, then suppressed a sneer as he thought about all the sadness. He glanced at Yuzuru Hanyu, who looked serious as he sat next to him, staring intently at the tightly drawn red curtain...
He suppressed his laughter and replied with his head down.
Xiaojie: Very serious. Super serious. Yeah.
[Lio: Oh? I never expected that. Touching chin.jpg]
Yuzuru Hanyu remained dazed in his seat, staring blankly at the curtain. He didn't care if anyone around him speculated about his reaction. Surprise and pride filled his chest, and a subtle lingering bitterness lingered in the rhythm of his heartbeat, making it difficult for him to distinguish his own emotions.
Lately, accompaniment training and rehearsals have filled nearly every break Yuzuru Hanyu has made. Every single dance sequence has been etched into his mind. But today, under the stage lights, he still saw a surprise. Marguerite and Armand, leaning close together in their duet, made Hanyu feel the emotions flowing through their steps.
In their first pas de deux, Marguerite spun with grace and ease, seemingly manipulating everyone around her. But in the face of Armand's genuine, if slightly awkward, enthusiasm, her expression softened, her guard vanishing. Armand's steps were fiery and direct, their movements filled with the undisguised admiration of a young man. Le's gentle movements responded to his warmth, and the moment she gently rested her head on his shoulder, she seemed to let go of all her defenses and begin to accept him. Their lingering dance, like cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, unfolded across the stage to the melodious music.
In the villa where they had just eloped, the atmosphere was tranquil and blissful. Marguerite, played by Le, looked at Armand, a hint of reluctance in her eyes, but her smile was as gentle as water. Her movements slowed, and she clung to his side, as if wanting to remember their warmth. The dance was long and lingering. Armand still responded warmly, his embrace filled with reluctance and deep affection.
Yuzuru Hanyu's gaze followed the two figures intertwined on stage, a thrill in his heart. He seemed to sense a different kind of emotion on stage—not Armand's infatuation with Marguerite, but more like the deep affection between childhood sweethearts.
"The competition is fierce, Hanyu..."
A casual remark from Dr. Suzuki beside him revealed Yuzuru Hanyu's thoughts.
He lowered his shoulders and straightened his body, almost immediately adopting the attitude he would use to face the media. He curled the corners of his mouth and chuckled unceremoniously, then turned his head with squinted eyes to look at Dr. Suzuki.
"It's always been like this. Doctor Suzuki should understand best, right?" He said, wrinkling his nose and squinting his eyes, his playful gesture now seeming like a provocation. Seeing the slight twitch of Doctor Suzuki's eyebrows, he knew he had achieved his goal. Just as he was about to say a few more words, the announcement of the start of the second half sounded again.
Armand stands by the side holding the diary left by Marguerite. The curtain rises and the story returns to the bustling Paris.
Misunderstandings hang like a maddening fog over the usually busy streets, forcing two people, clearly in love, to pretend and hurt each other. The piano music of Chopin's First Ballade interrupts Armand's absurd flirtation with others. At the center of the stage is Marguerite, shrouded in a long black dress and veil, looking particularly solemn.
Le stood quietly in the center of the stage, letting the notes flow around her. It was clearly Yuzuru Hanyu's music, music that automatically trained his mind to visualize whenever he heard it, but at that moment, he was deeply captivated by the two people on the stage.
Only a sliver of light remains on the stage, illuminating the fierce confrontation between Marguerite and Armand as they reunite after their separation. The lovers' reunion is a stark contrast to their former emotions. Armand angrily and despairingly expresses the pain of losing Marguerite, while Marguerite's attempts at comfort are met with frustration and regret. Their passionate intertwining dance moves seem to be expending their final breaths to express their love and resentment.
Yuzuru Hanyu watched this scene, holding his breath, almost feeling the reluctance and heartbreak that surged through Kazuki's portrayal of Armand. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether Kazuki was acting out the role or using it as an opportunity to express his own emotions. And his Marguerite lived up to his affection, repeatedly tormented between deep love and rationality in scenes he couldn't see.
Until she staggered away from her bed like a broken and pale puppet and stood in the center of the stage. Before she was about to touch her phantom lover, the thread of her life broke quietly, leaving a heartbreaking aftertaste.
The theater was silent until the curtain fell and the audience reacted.
Bravo——
It was hard to tell whether Yuzuru Hanyu's voice was among the cheers, but he was definitely not among the thunderous applause. He was still in a hurry, wiping the tears from his face while taking the tissue handed to him by Xiaojie.
【-Maiko-v：
Having the privilege of seeing Suginohara and Tohara perform La Traviata live today was truly an unforgettable theatre experience. The two actors brought such exquisite emotion to the work of Master JN that I had never imagined possible. Suginohara's Marguerite defied superficial stereotypes like "sickly" or "beautiful." Her graceful dance revealed a formidable spirit. Armand embraced her with a genuine, youthful passion, and their dance together evoked a flowing narrative poem for the audience.
Suginohara, a ballet dancer now a choreographer, certainly didn't disappoint. She posed in the center of the vast, empty stage, without a trace of panic, nor was she eager to fill the stage with her sweeping dance moves and skirt. Many times, time seemed to flow amidst the piano notes, while she stood still, her gaze resting in profile. Everything was perfectly timed, giving me a moment to breathe. I have to admit, I never realized how beautiful her profile was. Under the stage lights, it resembled a smooth fragment of the moon, so beautiful yet so untouchable.
Only Armand always ran towards her sincerely and lifted her into the air, even though she might be shattered into a broken bubble in the next second.
At the curtain call, Tohara walked out with Suginohara, supporting her as she bowed and watching her closely, as if he were still the same Armand, carefully cherishing the reborn Marguerite.
Please appreciate these two gentle people with all your heart. 】
Yuzuru Hanyu carefully read the highly praised tweet about the ballet. The poster appeared to be a ballet blogger. Although he was unfamiliar with the post, the overwhelming support and response in the comments section confirmed that the blogger possessed considerable influence.
He leaned against the car door and took a deep breath to calm himself.
This blogger is really amazing. He has awakened the scenes of tonight in his mind again, along with his complex and unspeakable emotions, which are surging in his chest.
Tonight, he witnessed the rapport between He Jiu and Le, a rapport so similar to the one he'd once been so proud of. It was so similar that it frightened him for the first time... And tonight, he also felt directly the reluctance and heartbreak that surged in He Jiu's interpretation of Armand. He understood that this wasn't just Armand's love for Marguerite, but also He Jiu's affectionate yet hopeless confession to Le on stage.
Even he felt heartbroken.
"Yuzu!~"
A familiar, clear voice, tinged with joy, called out, interrupting Yuzuru Hanyu's thoughts and revealing his quiet, waiting form hidden in the night, to the flashing lights of camera cameras. Nearby, at the theater's back door, Le tiptoed past the SD fans and the flashing media crowd to wave to him. She lowered her head and pulled up the long, wide skirt she'd worn for the interview. Her thick, long down jacket held it down just enough to allow her to slip through the crowd.
She just ran towards him like a happy Scarlett from not far away.
Yuzuru Hanyu subconsciously opened his arms, ignoring the shutter sounds and flashes coming from behind her, and steadily caught her embrace.
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